Orthopedic shoe



May 2, 195@ o. J. HOWE 2,505,773

ORTHOPEDIC SHOE Filed Jan. 9, 1948 l i JNVENTOR. /90' @Je Patented May2, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y ORTHOPEDIC SHOE Oliver j.HoweyNorth Weymouth, Mass. f

Application Januaryll, 1948, Serial No. 1,4224

s claims. l(cl. sts- 71) f 4The inventionnescnbed herein, if patented,may,bemanufactured andused by or for the Government i011Vstiller...Ilmental purposes 4,without :the payment to me of anyvroyalty thereon.

' provision-of aninsoleor build-up around-which the shoes-,may be built`and which will flex or break at the exact point Where the shoe itselfwould ordinarily flex or break so as to permit the shoe to function inthe conventional manner.

A still further object of the invention consists in providing anorthopedic attachment for shoes which is of simple and inexpensiveconstruction and which may be readily and simply fabricated without theneed of expensive machinery or highly skilled labor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improvedorthopedic shoe with parts broken away to more clearly illustrate theinsole or build-up;

A further object ofthe invention resides-in the ilo Figure 2 is alongitudinal sectional view through 30 the insole or buildup";

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3 3 ofFigure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the two sections of the insole partlyseparated to disclose the contour of the adjoining edges.

The orthopedic shoe disclosed herein comprises an inner sole or build-upI around which is built a more or less conventional shoe 2; the shoebeing conventional except that the upper is of sufficient dimensions toprovide for the relatively thick insert I and yet leaves suiilcientspace for the reception of the wearers foot.

The insole is formed of two relatively thick sections of cork having acombined area sumcient to extend the full length and width of the shoewhich is built therearound. The front section of the insert or build-upis indicated by the numeral 3 and the rear section by the numeral t.

The lengths of the sections 3 and 4 are so proportioned that they meetat the point of flexing orfbreak in the ordinary shoe and the sectionsare hingedly connected by means of a flexible strip 5, preferably ofleathers which extends throughout the length and width of the sections(Granted tindex; thact .,f `March 13,1 asl ,.5; amended April 30,1928;!370 Q GL 757) sections by adhesive or other preferred means. It isunderstood, of course, that the upper surfaces'of the sections 3 and 4are shaped to the contour of the last used in forming the shoe and thatthe strip 5 which hingedly unites the sections is also molded to thelast. Y

At their adjoining edges, that is, at the uppSr portion thereof,recesses 6 and 1 are formed in the sections 3 Vand 4, such recessesextending transversely throughout the width of the sections and havingtheir walls tapered downwardly so as to conjointly form a wedge-shapedcavity extending approximately to the middle Aof the height of theinsole, to permit relative movement between the sections. Mounted withinthe cavity formed by the complementary recesses 6 and '1 is a block ofelastic material 8 preferably of rubber. This resilient block extendstransversely of the insole throughout the Width of the latter and hasits side Walls adhesively secured to the Walls of the recesses E and land its upper surface adhesively secured to the undersurface of theexible leather strip 5. This resllient block 8 serves a dual function,that is, it fills the gap provided by the recesses e and 'i to normallymaintain the cork sections in alignment with the last bottom or strip 5and also to serve as a cushion to the bend or break in the shoe.

A tongue and groove joint is provided in the lower portion of the insoleat the hinge line thereof and in the present illustration the tongue,which is indicated by the numeral 9, is formed on the inner edge of thefront section 3 and a cooperating groove IIJ is formed on the inner`edge of the rear portion 4. This tongue and groove connection, asclearly indicated in Fig. 4, extends entirely across the Width of theinsole and serves to maintain the two sections in alignment bypreventing a skewing action therein when in use.

The purpose and function of this orthopedic shoe including the build-upor insole 3-4 will be readily understood by those skilled in the art andneed not be dwelt upon other than to say it serves to correct orcompensate for certain deformities of the wearer; that it is of simpleand relatively inexpensive construction, and that it has incorporatedtherein a simple yet eective hinge at the flexing or break line toconform the action of the insole to the action of the shoe in which itis installed.

While the sections 3 and l have been defined in the foregoingspecification and in the claims as being formed of cork and as beingrelatively thick, it is to be understood that other light ma- 3 and 4and is secured to the upper Vsurface of the 55 terial havingcharacteristics approximating those 3 of cork may be substituted, andthat the term relatively thick should be construed to mean a thicknessat least greater than the thickness of the ordinary conventional insolesused in conventional shoe structures.

I claim: Y 1. An insole or build-up for orthopedic shoes comprising twosections of relatively thick cork which conjointly extend the fulllength and width of a shoe and meet at the flexing point or break of ashoe, a tongue and groove'jointbe tween said sections at the meetingedges thereof, and a strip of iiexible material secured' to the uppersurfaces of said sections toserve as a hinge therefor and extendingthroughout the length and breadth of said sections.

2. An insole or build-up for orthopedic, shoes comprising two sectionsloit-relatively thick cork which conjointly extendthe fulllengthandwidthof a shoe and meet at the flexingpoint or break" ofl a' shoe,thev adjoiningy edges of said sections being provided with complementaryrecesses `forming a transverse cavity in the=top=portion of .I together.

3. An insole or build-up for orthopedic shoes comprising; two sectionsof relatively thick cork which conjointly extend the full length andwidth Y of a shoe and meet at the flexing point or break" of a shoe, theadjoining edges of said sections being provided with complementaryrecesses form` ing a transverse cavity in the top portion of the insole,a block of resilient material secured in said cavity, a transversetongue on the inner edge of one of said sections, the other sectionprovided with a transverse groove receiving said tongue, and a leatherstrip conforming to the foot and to thezupper surfaces of said sectionsand secured to said surfaces to provide a hinge therefor.

OLIVER J. HOWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the le; ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Y Date Number Name 354,832' Fretz Dec; 21', 1886694,872 Lockett Mar. 4, 1902 1,053,442? Rouse Feb. 18; 1913 2,008,207Greenberg July 16, 1935 2,304,957 Roth Dec. 1.5,- 1942 2,340,027 StoryJan. 25, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,701 Great Britain1877 13,152 Germany' Marv 21, i881 352,013

Germany Apr; 18, 1922

